VLOP (Very Large Online Platform)
EU Digital Services Act designation for platforms with 45M+ monthly active EU users; subject to systemic-risk and transparency obligations.
What VLOP (Very Large Online Platform) means
Under the EU Digital Services Act (Regulation 2022/2065), a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) is a hosting service designated by the European Commission as having an average of at least 45 million monthly active users in the EU. Designated VLOPs face heightened obligations including: ad transparency repositories, researcher data access (Article 40), risk-assessment and mitigation reports for systemic risks (illegal content, fundamental rights, civic discourse, gender-based violence, public health), independent annual audits, and supervision by the European Commission directly. Initial designations (April 2023) included Meta (Facebook, Instagram), TikTok, YouTube, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Snapchat, and Pinterest, with Amazon, Booking.com, and AliExpress added later. Non-compliance can trigger fines up to 6% of global annual turnover.
Related terms
VLOSE (Very Large Online Search Engine)
EU Digital Services Act designation for search engines with 45M+ monthly active EU users; equivalent obligations to VLOPs.
DSA Transparency Database
Public European Commission database where VLOPs/VLOSEs publish every content moderation decision (Statement of Reasons) under Article 24(5) of the DSA.